Prince Fires New Course Record in Setting Pace at 112th PNGA Women’s Amateur

Kendall Prince of Corvallis, Ore. shot a new women’s course record in the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 112th Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur, firing a 5-under par 67 at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Wash. She has a 5-shot lead over a strong field of the finest women amateur golfers from throughout the region.

Prince’s record round included five birdies and an eagle, and came despite two bogeys, including a three-putt on the downhill par-5 18th hole, her last hole of the day.

“Nothing really went wrong today,” said Prince. “This course is a lot different than what I’m used to. It’s very links style. It was a lot of fun.” Watch Prince’s interview here.

A graduate of Lake Oswego (Ore.) High School, Prince is continuing her sizzling summer, having already won the 2013 Oregon Women’s Amateur last month, a championship in which she finished runner-up in 2012. Last year she attended Ohio State University, where she was named Big-10 Freshman of the Year, after which she transferred to the University of Arizona.

Last year’s champion, Chessey Thomas of Spokane, is tied for second after an even-par 72.

The women’s amateur championship consists of 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying held on July 15-16, followed by a cut to the low 32 players who will advance to single elimination match play.

In the 12th Pacific Northwest Women’s Mid-Amateur, being held concurrently at Wine Valley, Kareen Markle of Meridian, Idaho has a three-shot lead after the first round of stroke-play qualifying. Markle has won this championship in 2005 and ’07, and was runner-up in 2004, ’06 and ’11.

These championships are conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.

First held in 1899, Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship is one of the oldest amateur golf championships in the world. Past champions include Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Famers who made up the Golden Age of female golfers in the Northwest such as Joanne Gunderson Carner, Jo Ann Washam, Pat Lesser Harbottle, Edean Ihlanfeldt, Violet Pooly Sweeney, Marcia Fisher, Betty Jean Hulteng, among others. Past champions also include many who would later go on to the LPGA Tour, such as Jimin Kang, Peggy Conley, Ruth Jessen and Shirley Englehorn.